


Balancing Act

by lucianlibrarian



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Chronic Pain, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, IgNoct, Ignoct Week, Ignoct Week 2019, Pre-Canon, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-26 01:55:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20035954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucianlibrarian/pseuds/lucianlibrarian
Summary: When Noctis struggles to get out of bed in the morning, Ignis is there to comfort him through the agony and shame.





	Balancing Act

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe this is my first fanfic in years (not to mention my first *ever* in this fandom). Be gentle...?
> 
> This will probably end up being cannibalized for a longer project I'm working on. Also can't guarantee I'll do all the fics for the week, but I'm going to try.
> 
> As far as timing is concerned, this is set shortly after Noctis returns from Tenebrae. There's still a year and change before the events of Gladio's _Brotherhood_ episode, when he has much more control over his body and much less (obvious) pain.
> 
> [ _written for IgNoct Week 2019, day 1: comfort_ ]

Noctis hissed through gritted teeth as Ignis’s thumbs pressed into his outer right thigh. “Ow ow ow ow! Don’t dig in so hard!”

“I’m not, I swear!” Ignis said. “But this is new. When did you injure yourself here?”

“Don’t remember. Don’t even think I did, Iggy. Just—ow!—woke up, and it hurt.”

_This isn’t good, _the young advisor thought. He knew from the crash course in anatomy and massage Noctis’s physical therapists had given him that the muscles and ligaments under his small, clumsy hands were involved with torso stabilization and knee rotation. _And I don’t have anywhere near the expertise needed to fix this. _“You might,” he said, his voice careful and measured, “want to consider using the wheelchair today.”

“No!” Panic edged Noctis’s voice higher until it was almost a screech. “You know I have to see the council today!”

“_Highness_.” Ignis pushed up his glasses, rubbed his eyelids. “Please be reasonable. You can’t even get out of bed without assistance. How do you expect to stand there for the entire meeting?”

“Oh yeah?” Noctis screwed up his face with the resolve of a wounded general about to lead his troops into a rallying charge. “Watch me.” He shoved his upper body vertical, whimpering as he forced himself into a seated position. Wiggled his butt toward the edge of the bed and slid down to the floor. As he shifted his weight back and forth his feet, Noctis found a tenuous balance that seemed not to pain him too much. Eyes glistening with triumph, he took a huffing breath and a step toward Ignis—

—and immediately crumpled to the floor.

Ignis barely had time to react, to reach out and hook his arms under the prince’s to cushion his collapse. “Noct—oof!”

Several long moments passed before Noctis finally broke the silence. “I’m supposed to be better,” he said, voice barely a whisper. Ignis had expected a wail; in some ways, the whisper scared him more. “I’m supposed to be better, but I still can’t walk right and my magic’s a mess and Luna’s a prisoner and I couldn’t save her and I promised I promised I _promised_—”

Ignis held Noctis tight, stroking his soft black hair. “Shh, shh. It’s not your fault, Noct. It’s not. It’s not. You’re doing so well, so very well…”

“Then why’s it all so _wrong_?” Noctis squeezed his advisor’s—his friend’s—shirt in his little fists.

“I don’t know, Noct.” Ignis pressed his forehead to Noctis’s and sighed. “But you know I’m here, right? I’m always here. And that means you’ll never be alone.”

“I know.” Noctis blinked away tears and threw his arms around Ignis’s neck.

Ignis breathed deep into the hug. Once. Twice. Again. Again. As if each breath could drain the prince of his fears. “Come, let me bring the wheelchair around. I’ll speak to your tutors and your masseuse about your condition this morning, get them to make the necessary schedule adjustments before the meeting.”

“‘Kay. Hey, Ignis?”

Ignis glanced over his shoulder as he fetched the transport wheelchair from the other side of the room. “Yes, Noct?”

“Thanks.”

Through the dull haze of pain that never quite left Noctis’s face, Ignis noted a small smile. Peaceful. Comforted. Loved. It was enough. More than enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Bother me on Discord—starryfox#7213—if you think this didn't totally suck. ♥


End file.
